# 15

# roles.

I named this next practice ‘Broad View’ as a title to publish. I think I had been referring to it as ‘6 roles’.

This ‘Broad View’ strategy is something that I began doing on my own as a way to create inner space, or to gain perspective when I recognized that I was obsessed with one thing - and, in my case, that one thing was my job. To be obsessed with something you are enjoying is one thing. To be obsessed with something that isn’t bringing you joy, is a whole other thing.

How this strategy looked in the day-to-day: when I recognized I was overwhelmed (skill: self-awareness) I would take out my journal, or anything to write on, including a napkin at a coffee shop or the corner of any piece of paper I had access to (at home, I always have 2-3 notebooks going at a time). I would scratch out a horizon line with six sections. Over time, I added the ‘now this is me’ (mind space, heart space, belly space) picture in the center, which gave the illusion of me looking out into the broad, infinite space of a horizon.

Real time example from this morning (Sarah is my sister-in-law…I scribble random stuff all the time):

I give each of the six spaces a ‘role.’

**I had taken the time to consider my roles when I created a Best Year Yet plan years back, using the strategy Jinny Ditzler created in the 90’s. It is a great activity if you are really into self-reflection. The Best Year Yet plan suggests eight roles, and uses that number based on some sort of algorithm-ish of business executives who manage teams. When I took the time to consider my roles, I came up with ways to describe the roles that added some expression, some texture, some visceral interpretation of the roles (think ‘radiant goddess’ - yep…or something like that).

It seems, like with all things, that you can consider your roles at length, with a lot of reflection, as easily as you can write down the first six that come to you. And, obviously, you can always return to the thought, ‘hm. what are six roles that I desire to play out?’ - life is fluid as are the roles you choose to focus on. My roles are different today as I write this.

When you name the roles, and create the horizon, randomly fill in what you want more of in each section. In practice, I place the role I am obsessed with on the bottom, and I really don’t give it much attention. When I bring focus to the roles I am not actively engaging with, that’s when this strategy begins to support expansion, and a more balanced perspective.

*This works as a doodle in long meetings or workshops that can begin to feel overwhelming…as do the other skills like Recognizing Resistance, On-Board Thinking, and Choose Curious.